The kidneys filter waste products from the body (e.g., urea and creatinine), regulate electrolytes (e.g., sodium, potassium, and chloride), produce hormones that help control red blood cell production and blood pressure, produce and concentrate urine, and maintain proper hydration. Once kidney damage occurs, the consequences are usually irreversible.
One estimate provides that 9 in every 1,000 dogs suffer from kidney disease. Kidney disease may occur in dogs of all ages, but is usually a disease of older pets. For kidney disease dogs with chronic renal failure, the mean age of diagnosis is 7 years.
Dietary therapy may help manage kidney failure in dogs. However, despite years of studies and developments relating to kidney disease and renal function, kidney disease and poor renal function remain a major health problem for dogs. There is, therefore, a need for new methods and compositions for preventing and treating kidney disease and for improving kidney function in dogs.